Reborn
by Trippix
Summary: I died. But I was given the gift of rebirth in exchange. The only question is this: Can I live with this power? Whether it was my choice or not, can I peacefully let go of my human life and walk the earth as a Vampire?
1. Prologue

**A/N:** **Hello, readers. This is my first Twilight Fan Fiction, and I am quite excited about this idea. I feel I may have a semi-original plot here, despite the lack of summary, so please do not shoot down my happiness with flames if and when you decide to review. That being said, let me also inform you that this is NOT an Edward/OC pairing type story. As far as fiction goes, I find anything outside the realm of Bella/Edward romance unrealistic. As for the main character, she is, in fact, an Original Character. If you are an OC hater, then I suggest you read no further. **

**Also, this is just the Preface, so don't expect more than a couple hundred words. It's like a sample of what is yet to come. If you like my writing style and want me to continue, please tell me in a review.**

**Have a nice day.**

* * *

Part 1

XXXXX

--Prologue--

Nothing has the power to change the past. Everyone makes decisions that affect the path their life is on. The only question is do you have the courage to make the best of what life gives you? Whether it was my choice or not, can I live with the gift that was given to me?

Can I wisely use this power, or will it corrupt me?

--------

My mind is in a haze as I approach her. Fear shakes through her body like a leaf, her deep brown eyes glazed with terror. I don't care about the consequences right now. All that consumes my mind is my burning thirst, and how sweet her blood smells. She knows my motive; she's seen the hunger in eyes other than my own. She glances at the open window, but knows escape is futile. Her human legs could never outrun my own.

My feet crunch slightly on the shards of glass still littering the floor as I step toward her. As a last minute decision, she makes for the window, but I pounce in a flash, pinning her to the floor. Her eyes are filled with pleading, but her body has given up the struggle.

I'm so close now, I can almost imagine how her skin will feel when my teeth sink into her flesh. My lips hover above her throat, as if in hesitation. Then, her last words glide through the air, as if a resounding note had just concluded a song.

"...I love you, Edward."

But, somewhere, I know he hears.

* * *

**A/N: Told you it was short. Review me your thoughts.**


	2. I: Bloody Reunion

**A/N: Ok, I don't know about anyone else who reads Fan Fiction, but when I'm scrolling through the summaries, word count is the first thing I look at. I understand that seeing only 427 words in the first chapter may not have impressed a few people, but I'm determined to make it up a little bit in this chapter. Thanks to those who reviewed, and I hope you aren't disappointed with this. **

**I'm sorry if the beginning seems a bit confusing or fast-paced, but I'm trying to cram in information so the story makes more sense later. Sorry if there's any confusion.**

**Also, like in almost anything I write, I include some sort of song or music reference. If anyone would like the song(s) I include, I'll be more than happy to email an MP3 attachment upon request. (I know Gmail works, not so sure about other sites...)**

**Peace and Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to affiliate myself with the Twilight book series. All related material is copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I also claim no rights of ownership to any songs mentioned in the following narrative.**

* * *

--Chapter I--

He was late. Just like mom said he would be. I hadn't seen Oliver in over five years, but I at least hoped his timing habits would have improved since then. Mom's voice rang through my head, "Living with him is a mistake. You"ll be back in Virginia by next week."

I checked my watch. 4:25. My plane landed at two. All my bags were retrieved by 2:30. Oliver agreed to meet me at the western entrance of William R. Fairchild International, the airport which I just landed in, by 3:00. Jet lag was kicking in and I was starving, but I had to say I wasn't at all surprised by his lack of punctuality.

My mom, Allison, always portrayed Oliver as the irresponsible one of the family. "He takes after his dad," she would say, "Completely unreliable." Oliver and I have different fathers, so technically, we're only half-siblings. But I don't care. I love the unreliable twit anyway.

Oliver's dad, Brian, walked out on him and Mom when Oliver was only a toddler. It always left a layer of bitterness in Oliver, even though he had no memories of his dad.

By the time Allison had gained fifteen pounds and sworn an oath to never love another man again, she met my dad, Raven. His real name was Benjamin Gray III, but always got extremely touchy at the subject. He never legally changed it, so both Allison and I have the last name he always hated. Raven once told me that if he had his way, we wouldn't have last names. I never understood his logic.

Anyway, Raven and Allison met three years after Brian left the picture. They met at a park, and Raven was playing his Guitar. He was an aging hippie, clinging to the last remnants of flower power, even though it was 1985. Allison was a sucker for the guitar, so naturally she went over, Oliver clinging to her hand. Both my parents would later tell me it was love at first sight. They were married six weeks later, and I came along next summer.

"We named you Michelle, because that was the first song he played me when I sat next to him on the grass," she later told me. "He got the French part all wrong, but I didn't care. He was so beautiful."

Oliver never really took to Raven. He tried his very best to get Oliver to warm up to him, but nothing ever worked. Eventually he just gave up, and they were more like cordial housemates than anything else. Raven died when I was 14, leaving me in a mess even my mom couldn't fix, but Oliver flew back to Alexandria for the funeral and stayed with me, despite obvious coldness toward my dad. I never really understood why Oliver didn't like him, and I never had the heart to ask.

Oliver lived with us until after he turned seventeen, when Brian decided to show up in his life again. There was a big ordeal with Brian and Allison. Brian wanted custody, saying he cleaned up very well. He had a new wife and substantial income in a small town called Forks, Washington. When Allison refused to let Brian see Oliver, the law was involved. Brian was being allowed visitation rights while in Virginia when a court date was assigned. The judge left the decision up to Oliver. He chose Brian, and off to Forks he went.

Up until the day he left, I was always the favored sibling over Oliver. It sounds horrible to say, because I love him terribly, but I knew the harsh truth when I saw it. Allison said it was because I was her baby, but I understood better as I got older. The accident occured soon after Oliver left.

When I was younger, I never understood why neither Raven nor Allison let me play like the other kids. Never allowed to birthday parties or play outside without either of them within a ten foot radius. Home-schooled instead of public school. I found out why when I was ten. When I nearly bled to death.

How I got hurt was simple. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it, though I've heard a ton of guilty remorse through the years ("We should have known that bed was too old" or "We should have gotten the damn thing for you").

I've always loved to paint. I've always loved art in general. My easel had always been stored under my bed and I'd retrieved it from that very place countless times before. This time had been no exception.

My bed was in a corner of my room, so when I reached under my bed to get my easel, I noticed that I must have pushed it against the wall when I last replaced it. I stretched my arm farther to reach it, grabbed the wooden limb, and tugged it out.

But by then, my arm was drenched in blood. A long gash reached from my elbow to wrist, roughly a quarter-inch deep in the center. Seeing all that blood, which to me seemed like more than normal, made me scream in terror. It just wouldn't stop bleeding!

Raven ran in, saw all the blood, then yelled at Allison to call 911. I fainted from loss of blood before the paramedics even arrived.

When my bed was later dismantled, they found the spring coil which had come loose and sliced me. By then I was still unconscious in the hospital.

When I finally regained consciousness, the doctor told me what my teary-eyed parents thought I was too young to understand. He broke the news that I was a Hemophiliac.

The doctor tried to explain to me the genetics of Hemophilia the best he could, but there's only so many medical terms a ten-year-old can understand. He told me that the disease was a genetic disorder in the blood, in which the blood clotted at a very slow rate, causing internal and external injuries to bleed more than that of a normal person. He told me that the disease was very rare in females, and that the gene had to be present in both parents; Raven had it and Allison was a carrier. When I thought about it, I'd hardly ever seen my dad injured at all and I'd always wondered why my bruises always seemed to grow before they got better, or why a simple paper cut could leave my finger looking like a prune. Now I knew why.

That was also the day I found out my blood type was B negative. Only two percent of the United States population shared my blood type. It's a bit ironic, in a way.

Two months, one transfusion, and 143 crappy hospital meals later, I was finally able to go home. But not without a thick, angry-looking scar to keep as a reminder of how easily I could injure myself. Any person I met in the medical field told me I was lucky. I could have died that day very easily.

I absent-mindedly rubbed my thumb across the scar, silent in my reverie, rain drizzling faintly around me. Back home in Alexandria, Virginia, sunshine was way more common than rain. Oliver told me to brace myself for a big climate shift; Forks, Washington was one of the most overcast cities in the U.S., getting about 100 inches of rain a year. I thought he was exaggerating, but the rain wasn't letting up.

Ten more minutes passed before Oliver drove up to the sidewalk next to where I was sitting. I had to squint to see through the windshield to make sure it was really him.

I once heard that someone's car can reflect the personality of the driver. I didn't know what car Oliver drove, but I did not think a shiny black Saturn SUV suited his personality at all. The best words to describe him were eccentric, loud, and disheveled. When I saw his ride, I thought he won the lottery.

"Michelle!" he called, getting out of the car and running to embrace me. I welcomed him with open arms. He enveloped me in a big hug that made me forget all about his shortcomings, the same effect as always. He buried his face in my mane of blonde hair and just held me. I was reluctant to pull away about a minute later. I was surprised no one stole the car, which idled at the curb.

"God, it's great to see you. You look all grown up!" I saw him wipe away a tear as he hauled one of my suitcases to the truck and popped the lift gate. "It seems like more than five years, doesn't it?" he asked, tossing the suitcase in.

I dragged an over-stuffed duffel to the car, "Yeah, seems like forever," I said, not mentioning the reason for his last visit.

Oliver fit in my guitar case (which I inherited from Raven) and the remainder of bags then slammed the gate shut. He turned to me with a grin on his face, then buried me in another hug, one I gladly welcomed.

"I've missed you so much, you don't even know," he said, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"Me, too," my voice cracked slightly, and a few tears escaped my eyes, landing on his shirt. When we finally pulled apart, mascara ran in smudges down my face. So much for looking nice. I can't believe Mom convinced me to wear it.

"Hey, everything's gonna be fine," he said wiping away the smudges. I broke out with more sobs. So many emotions were flowing from me, I couldn't keep up. Oliver just held me, shushing me softly and whispering that everything was going to be alright. I felt so much joy at seeing him, but I felt, for whatever reason, like I was reliving the grief of losing my father. I didn't realize just how empty I was until Oliver was there to fill me with his embrace.

I looked up at him, tears freely flowing now, and smiled. "Yeah, I think it will be, too"

--------

_"A built-in remedy  
For Khrushchev and Kennedy  
At anytime an invitation  
You can't decline..."_

Oliver sang along happily to Queen: Greatest Hits. We'd been on the road towards Forks for about twenty minutes, and I knew he wasn't going to let me get away sulking for much longer.

"C'mon, 'Chelle. You love Queen!"

It was true. Even after five years apart, he still knew me too well.

"Yeah, well, I think Freddie Mercury would be cringing in his grave if he could hear you," I countered, then laughed. We both sang along with the chorus:

_"She's a Killer Queen  
Got that agility  
Dynamite with a laser beam  
Guaranteed to blow your mind  
Anytime..."_

When the song ended, my stomach decided that was the appropriate time to growl. Rather loudly.

Oliver chuckled. "You hungry?"

"Three hours ahead, remember?"

"You should have said something. I can live with an early dinner," he said, pulling off at the next exit and driving through a small town that I didn't know the name of. I saw a few gas stations and restaurants up ahead. "What'll it be?"

I saw an IHOP on our side of the road. I pointed it out, "Shitty breakfast food sounds good." He pulled into the lot and parked.

Oliver held the door open as we approached the restaurant. "After you, Mademoiselle," he said in a over-drawling French accent.

I matched his accent with a proper British one, "I thank you most heartedly, good sir," for effect, I pulled a used tissue out of my jacket pocket, "Please take this favor as a token of my affection."

He held it dramatically to his heart, "I shall treasure it always!"

We giggled like children as we entered the IHOP.

The first thing I noticed about the place was the heat. It made my head feel light. I knew I'd just entered from the chilly rain, but were all restaurants in the rainy state this hot? Oliver didn't seem to notice. He was probably used to it. My body didn't like the temperature and humidity shift. This reaction had happened before, but I still prayed in vain hope that it would go away. Maybe someone up there doesn't like me. It happened as the hostess led us to our seats.

Blood began flowing freely from my nose as we arrived at our table. The hostess looked at me and gasped, surprise clearly etched upon her face. Oliver turned to see what she was looking at.

"Damn it," he said, grabbing a dish towel out of the hostess's apron and holding it to my face. I pinched the bridge of my nose with it as he led me to the restroom by the elbow. I hoped I didn't stain the carpet...

Completely ignoring the "Ladies" sign and protest of the woman washing her hands, Oliver entered the restroom by my side and led me to the sink. That's love for you.

I removed the soiled hand towel and let almost a teaspoon of blood gush from my face and into the sink. I'd had nosebleeds like this before. I got them relatively often. I knew the best thing to do was let it run it's course.

I looked forlornly into the sink's gory basin, my hunger forgotten. Why me?

I attempted a massacred smile at Oliver, "Well, this'll be a great way to remember my first day in Washington..."

Despite the situation, Oliver smiled, too. "I agree."

There was a minute stretch of silence as my nostrils continued to drain. "So is there a hospital in Forks you can rush me to when I get into some big accident?"

"You know, despite the size of Forks, we do indeed have a hospital. Not to mention one of the most ditinguished doctors on the West Coast."

I grabbed at the distraction, "Oh yeah?" I pressed for more information.

"Yeah. Doctor Cullen. I've met him a couple times when I needed a trip to the hospital. He's really young, but very experienced in medicine."

"Heh. Think he could help me out?"

He chuckled. "Doubt it, sis. You're a lost cause."

"Shut up, you," I joked.

After a few more minutes, the blood wasn't pouring out quite so rapidly. The clot dripped out and my nosebleed finally stopped. I wiped away the last of the blood with a paper towel and looked up my nose in the mirror. "I think it's done," I said to Oliver.

"Good. You need some food in you."

I rinsed out the sink and checked around the bathroom for any blood I might have spilled. Finding none, I checked my reflection.

My face, which was normally a pleasant color, was now a pasty eggshell. My clear blue eyes were glossier than normal; probably from crying earlier. My hair was a mess. The blonde ringlets now looked extremely frizzy, which tended to happen in the rain. Another thing I'd have to adjust to.

Oliver snapped me out of my examination. "Ready?" he asked.

I nodded and headed to the door. "Born that way."

* * *

**A/N: So, now what do you think? 2,500 words in this chapter. Took me a whole day, on and off, to type this. My computer's a bitch though. I have to type it on Microsoft Works, which won't upload, then paste it to notepad, then edit all the quotes and apostrophes. So, I'm sorry if I missed anything.**

**Also, a bit of funny trivia: Michelle's injury I described is an actual one of my own. It wasn't quite so bad and I don't have Hemophilia, but I did need 26 stitches and I still have the scar. It changes shape whenever I bend my arm. Cool, eh?**

**Hopefully, the next chapter will be coming soon. Stay tuned. For those who added me to their favorite stories, authors, and author alerts list, thanks a bundle. Made my day. Thanks again!**

**Peace out, **

**Trippix**

**P.S. For those who want the MP3 for "Michelle" or "Killer Queen", two excellent songs, tell me in a signed review and I'll try my best to get it to you through e-mail.**


	3. II: Welcome to Forks

**A/N: Hello again. Great to see you back. Thanks for all my reviews! All 5 of them (cough). This note is pretty much the same as last chapter. I think I've decided to include a song in each chapter. Keep in mind, this is not a songfic, just kind of a playlist as the story as it progresses. My offer to email MP3's to anyone interested still stands, as I think they help heighten the effects. The songs may get increasingly darker, but so will the story. You've been warned.**

**Also, to whom showed concern, and I'll put it in caps for those who missed the note in the Preface, THIS STORY IS NOT AN ORIGINAL CHARACTER ROMANCE! I DO NOT INTEND TO BREAK UP BELLA AND EDWARD, OR ANY OTHER PAIRING FOR THAT MATTER! I may plan to have my OC find love, but not with any characters who are already taken. The most likely candidate would be another OC, but you'll just have to wait and see.**

**Live long and prosper!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to affiliate myself with the Twilight book series. All related material is copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I also claim no rights of ownership to any songs mentioned in the following narrative.**

* * *

--Chapter II--

The car was silent now. Queen had run it's course.

Oliver kept me up to speed as we drew nearer to Forks. I was getting antsy in my seat, twisting my hair, crossing and uncrossing my ankles, and cracking my knuckles. Oliver could tell I was nervous, as cracking my knuckles was the one habit of mine he hated. He took my hand to make me stop.

"If you keep that up, your fingers will be the size of hot dogs by the time you're thirty,"

I fanned out my right hand and examined it. The fingers were slender, if not a bit bony. My electric blue nail polish was already chipping at the ends of my nails, despite having just painted them. "I dunno... They were like pencils last week. I give it until I turn twenty."

"Then maybe you should quite doing it," he said, a note of disgusted humor in his voice.

"Tell you what. I'll quit cracking when you quit smoking." It was low, because I knew he was trying to quit, but it was the truth.

"Touché."

We drove in silence for another minute before I started bouncing my feet.

"Relax, will you? We're almost there."

I needed some kind of distraction. I turned in my seat to Oliver. "So what's the house like? You said it's only gonna be the two of us, how big is it?"

Oliver smiled, glad for the new conversation. "Well... you'll have your own bathroom, for starters."

"Thank god for that."

"Agreed. I dunno if I could handle all your feminine shit littering only one bathroom. I'd bathe in the kitchen sink."

I scoffed. "Very funny."

He laughed, a gentle but hearty sound. "Yeah. The house itself isn't too big, only two bedrooms, but none of the houses in Forks are very lavish. The Cullens own something close to a mansion, but I've never seen it."

"The Cullens? You mean Dr. Cullen's family?"

"Yeah. Him, his wife, and his kids."

"_Kids? _I thought you said he was really young?" I asked, confused.

"He's around thirty, I think. But all of his kids are adopted. There's five of them in all, and they've all just graduated high school within the last year."

This family seemed to have some strange aspects. Who in their right mind adopted teenagers? "That's... interesting," I said, for lack of a better word.

"Interesting about sums it up. Some people outwardly don't like the Cullens, but others embrace them with gritted teeth because of what a great doctor Carlisle is. The opinion is pretty split."

I assumed Carlisle was Dr. Cullen's first name. "What category do you fall under?"

Oliver shrugged, "I think I'm pretty neutral. Dr. Cullen is an amazing doctor and has helped this town a lot, but I've only met four of the seven Cullens. And the times I met them left me feeling a bit unnerved..."

I grasped at my first helping of town gossip. "What happened?" I asked eagerly.

"Well, I first met Carlisle when I went to the hospital for a broken arm. He and his family just moved here, and I was twenty-two."

"I remember you telling me about that."

"Yeah. Anyway, when Carlisle first walked into the room, I knew there was something wierd about him. Not weird in a bad way, just something a little... off. He was very friendly, but his physical appearance threw me off. All the Cullens are... how can I put this? Beautiful, I guess. Almost unnaturally so. Kind of like they're faces were sculpted by an artist. Even though I've only met four of them, I can only assume they're all the same way.

"Over the last three years, I went to the hospital for various reasons and spoke to Dr. Cullen. He never changed from the first meeting. Then, about six months ago, I met Carlisle and two of his sons, Edward and Jasper. They were shopping for hiking equipment from the local sporting goods store."

"Wow. Tents and freeze-dried bananas. Creepy," I said sarcasm dripping from my words.

"Shut it, you, and let me finish. Anyway, I exchanged greetings with the two younger Cullens, but I couldn't help but notice how much alike they were to Carlisle. Not in alikeness, but in degree of beauty. Really strange, but the sons were just as kind and polite as their father."

He paused, his eyes suddenly focused more intently on the road. I wondered if he was going to finish.

"Well? Who else did you meet?" I urged him to continue.

He sighed, then went on, "Then I met Alice," he said, leaving a space between each word, as if they were all precious. "And let me tell you, 'Chelle, they don't make 'em like Alice anymore. She came into Music, Etc. and I swear, I wasn't the only one completely drawn to her. Extremely beautiful, walked like a model, and spoke with the voice like chiming bells."

"Hmm, poetic."

He took no notice of my commentary, but continue, "She was throwing a graduation party and we just had a state-of-the-art D.J. compatible stereo system delivered. Extremely pricey. Neither me, or any of the nerds that work for me, were willing to part with it. But Alice just swept in, worked her charm, over-paid for it, then had us fighting over who was going to help her lug it to her car."

"Graduation Party? Doesn't that make her a little too young for you?"

"That's the weird part. She doesn't look eighteen. Older, but still completely angelic, like her adopted family." His brow furrowed in confusion. I could tell he'd thought about this before.

I could tell this was bothering him, so I changed the subject. "Are we there yet?" I whined dramatically for effect.

He let go of my hand and ruffled my hair. "You shouldn't whine like that, or else you won't get your present."

My eyes widened with delight. "Ooh, present? What is it?"

He chuckled. "We'll be there in a few minutes. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

I pouted to my full potential, "Oh, come on Ollie. What is it?" I added his pet name that he hated for effect.

"Bleh. Ollie. Now I'm really not gonna tell you."

I crossed my arms and stayed in a pout until we turned onto a gravel driveway a couple minutes later. I sat up and took my first look at my new home. I loved it from the moment I saw it.

The sky was dark by the time we pulled up, but a standing lantern stood by the brick path leading to the porch steps, illuminating the whole front. It was an older house, I'd guess about fifty or sixty years old, but with a lot of renovations. It was two stories and was painted white with a red tile roof. The porch took up the whole front of the first story, with a waist-high wooden railing wrapping around it. The second story was smaller in size than the first, I'd guess about half the width.

I opened the car door and stepped out, only to be greeted by a light drizzle of rain licking my face. Did the rain in Forks _ever _let up? I looked over at Oliver, who stood on the opposite side of the car, looking apprehensive. Like he was nervous for my reaction.

I walked over and gave him yet another hug. "It's wonderful, Oliver. C'mon, give me the grand tour, preferably before we get soaked."

He grinned, relieved, then led me to the porch. Opening the screen door, he unlocked the inner door and inside we went.

The room that led from the front door I assumed was the living room. The floors were hardwood, and the walls were painted a simple shade of off-white. There was a full-size leather couch and T.V., but the pride of the room was the stereo system and immense C.D. collection pushed up in the corner next to the couch.

As we stepped past the threshold, he stopped me. "Ok, before I show you the house, I wanna give you your surprise."

I'd nearly forgotten about it, but perked up in excitement. "Awesome. Where is it?"

He smiled. "It's in the kitchen, but I have to go get it. Close your eyes."

"What?"

"You heard me. Close 'em."

I did as I was told, and I heard his footsteps retreat to the left toward the open doorway. The kitchen, I assumed. I heard his footsteps come back to the doorway a few second later. "Are your eyes still closed?" he asked.

"Uh-huh."

I heard him come closer. "Hold out your hands," he told me.

I held out my arms parallel to the floor, palms up. He chuckled. "It's not that big. Just put your hands together."

I did as I was told, and something slightly heavy dropped into my hands as Oliver said, "Open your eyes."

I did, and in my hands was now a tiny, dark-haired kitten. I gasped with delight and squealed uncharacteristically. "Ooh, Oliver! I love it!" Carefully holding the new kitten in one hand, I used the other to give him a one-armed hug.

He smiled into my hair, "I'm glad. What are you gonna name him?"

Him. I brought the kitten's sage green eyes up to my own and looked deep. The eyes looked somewhat familiar. Then a name came to me.

"Raven. I want to name him Raven."

I expected Oliver to flinch or give a sign of protest, but his smile never wavered. "I think it's perfect."

I carried Raven around with me as Oliver showed me the rest of the house. To the left, leading off from the living room, was a kitchen. It was small, an aisle of cabinets and minor appliances (no dishwasher) ending in a dining nook, complete with a small, two-person table. A mini bay window accompanied it, looking out to the side of the house. Raven's food and water dish sat in a corner, along with a litter box and a small bed made of a blanket in a cardboard box.

Back in the Living room was a hallway leading opposite to the front door. The hallway held three doors, one at the end and two in the middle. The middle left one was my bathroom, complete with a stand-up shower (no tub). The door at the end led to Oliver's room, which was medium-sized with a connecting bathroom similar to my own. The right-middle door was an open doorjamb, like the kitchen's, which led to a set of narrow spiral stairs. I assumed my room was upstairs.

"After you, my dear," Oliver said from behind me.

I flipped the light switch and started the climb. I counted fourteen stairs. The top step branched off to a landing, and I saw my new room for the first time.

Despite it's small size, the room looked open and lofty. Like the rest of the house, it had hardwood flooring. The walls were painted the same off-white as the living room, but still looked bright. The stairs I just emerged from took up one corner. In the corner directly to my left was a rod-iron twin bed, complete with one of Mom's old patchwork quilts. The wall directly opposite of the stairs was at a slant, with two window jutting out overlooking the back yard. Toward the end of the bed against the wall was an empty wardrobe (there was no closet) and an old writing desk sat against the wall opposite to the bed. It was plain, blank, a new start. I loved it.

I turned to Oliver and gave him another one-armed embrace. I didn't know I was crying until I saw the moisture once again on his shirt. "Thank you, Oliver. Thank you so much."

--------

Later that night, I lay in bed, my thoughts too wound up to let me sleep. I'd tried everything to get to sleep after hauling up all my luggage wrestling out a pair of pajamas. My portable boom box played Matchbox Twenty softly in the background. Even though I couldn't hear the singing, only the melody, I knew the lyrics by heart.

_"Come on and lay it down  
I've always been with you  
Here and now  
Give all that's within you  
Be my savior__  
And I'll be your downfall..."_

I continued to sing along softly, until I heard a small noise over the side of my bed. Something was tugging slightly on my quilt. I looked over the side of the bed and there was Raven, trying to scale the side of my bed. Poor little guy. Must have taken all that time just for him to climb the stairs.

I giggled. "Come here, Raven, " I said, scooping his tiny body up with one hand. I set him next to my head on the pillow, where he curled up into a fuzzy, dark brown ball. His measured purring next to my head was what ended up singing me to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Not as long as the first chapter, only 2,200 words in this one. But I think it's a lot less sloppy than the last one. I think I may have lost a few people with the first chapter. Oh, well. I'd like reviews, people! I know you may want some vampire action, but I'm getting to it! **

**Also, this chapter's song was "Downfall" by Matchbox Twenty.**

**Peace! **

**Trippix**


	4. III: Classic

**A/N: Ok, I've gotten over 600 hits to this story, so I know all you out there have been reading this. Why is hardly any one reviewing? It takes two words of acknowledgement to make me happy! Oh well. Thanks for the reviews I have, which are now in the double digits (Hoorah!), and particular thanks to 9ud9ir190ne6ad, who reviewed all installments. You all rock my proverbial socks.**

**Also, the MP3's are still available. Why does no one want these? O.o They're free, you know. Good songs, too.**

**Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to affiliate myself with the Twilight book series. All related material is copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I also claim no rights of ownership to any songs mentioned in the following narrative.**

* * *

--Chapter III--

I awoke the next morning to the feeling of my hair being lightly tugged. Turning my head, I saw Raven sitting in my immense mound of curls, chewing and playing with random ringlets. I giggled sleepily, separating him from the Medusa-like structure. "You'll give me split ends that way, you know," I said, bringing myself to a sitting position and placing him in my lap. Despite the dark gray coming through my window, the alarm clock on my bedside table read 8:30. Time to start the day.

Oliver was already up and eating a bowl of cereal in the kitchen when I went downstairs. His eyes never left the morning paper he was reading as he greeted me, "Morning, sleepyhead."

"Morning. Where are the bowls?"

"Up top, left to the sink," he answered, still focused intently on whatever article he was reading.

I retrieved a bowl and spoon, then poured myself some Lucky Charms from the box still on the counter. I then grabbed the milk carton from the fridge and sat opposite to Oliver, setting Raven on the floor so I could eat. He sat gingerly by the table as I dumped milk into my bowl. When I looked down at him, he licked his chops expectantly.

"You want some?" I asked holding up the carton. He blinked in response. I took this as an affirmative, then poured some milk in his empty water dish, which he didn't hesitate to lap up. I looked over at Oliver, who was still engrossed in the newspaper article.

"What's going on in the news today?" I asked, taking a bite of cereal.

He looked up from the paper, meeting my curious gaze. "Just the stupid police force in Seattle. They're dropping the case investigating a string of murders, saying it costs too much. Complete bullshit in my opinion,"

"Murders? What happened?" I asked, my interest perked.

"At the beginning of the summer, a bunch of people were mysteriously murdered, they're bodies disposed in such a way leaving no evidence whatsoever. Very strange," he indicated the paper, "The team of investigators on this case are stumped, and since the murders have stopped altogether, they're dropping the case, claiming lack of evidence."

"That sucks! I think they should be doing all they can to find the murderer," I said, appropriately outraged.

"But I haven't even mentioned the weirdest part. There were over thirty murders-"

I gave an involuntary gasp as my jaw dropped. He continued:

"Yeah, I know. They suspected gang activity, because the murders were so close together it was almost impossible for it to be only one person, yet all the murders ceased at the same time, for no reason. Like something stopped them. Weird, eh?"

I'd never heard of this massacre; even big news like this didn't reach the east coast if it was happening so far away. But throughout learning about it, I couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. Not to mention an overwhelming sense of foreboding. Weird didn't begin to describe it.

I looked forlornly into my Lucky Charms, my appetite suddenly gone. "Can I see the paper after you?"

Oliver looked up, "Sure. You wanna read the article?"

"No, the classified ads."

"Why? Looking to move out already?" he joked.

"Nah, looking for a car. Got any friends who are selling?" I doubt he did.

"No. Why do you need a car? What's wrong with mine? And how are you going to pay for one?" he asked, putting down the paper.

"Which answer do you want first?" I asked, crossing my arms. Sometimes his over-protectiveness got annoying.

"In order, I suppose."

"Alright. I don't_ need_ a car, it would just be more convenient to have one. Nothing is wrong with your car, but I'd like my own for when you're at work so I can go out if I want to. And I have money saved ina checking account. I sold my car before I left so I'd have money to buy one here," he took a breath to start protesting, but I continued with my argument before he could speak, "And I don't want to risk damaging your new car, or using it when you need it."

Oliver opened his mouth and closed it again, obviously lacking in a good debate for that one. "Alright, but I still don't mind letting you use my car,"

"You will in a month. And while we're on the subject, where did you get that car? It looks expensive, and it doesn't seem..._ you_," I worded the thoughts I had upon first seeing the car.

"Birthday present from Dad," he said dismissively.

"_Dad? _You mean _Brian_?" This was news. Whenever Oliver mentioned Brian before moving to Forks, it was always with a layer of resentment.

"No, Ozzy Osbourne. Of course Brian. Who else?" he asked, incredulous.

"I don't know..." I was at a slight loss for words. I changed the subject. "Also, I need to get my license renewed. So we need to go to the DMV before my temporary one runs out of time."

Oliver groaned at the prospect of visiting the DMV. I didn't blame him. "Ok... When's a good time?"

"Well, sooner's better than later, I guess. Do we have any plans to waste three hours or more of our lives today?" It was Saturday, and he hadn't mentioned any sort of excursion.

He chuckled humorlessly. "I don't think so. Wanna give them a visit?"

"Why the hell not?" I said, getting up and dumping my uneaten cereal into the sink. "Just gimme an hour to shower and stuff."

--------

Oliver and I finally exited the local DMV at around 1:00. Oliver was irritated as hell, but I left clutching another temporary driver's license, being told mine would be delivered within the next two weeks or so. Hallelujah.

We entered the car, grateful to finally be rid of the stuffy office. There were only six people or so ahead of us, but it still took ages, as was expected. Oliver started the engine and yanked us out of the lot, still irritated.

We drove in silence for a minute so he could cool off. I knew that when Oliver was irritated to just let him be. He'd just get more annoyed if you tried to console him, and would recover fine on his own. After another quiet minute, he turned to me, "Wanna pick a CD?" he asked.

I nodded, then reached behind me to grab his book of CDs to browse through. I picked one after a few pages, "Dave Matthews okay?"

"Yeah."

I popped it in and skipped ahead to a track I knew he liked, and which was my personal favorite of this album. His thumbs were soon tapping the steering wheel with the rhythm. See what a great sister I am?

_"For you I would crawl  
Through the darkest dungeon  
Climb a castle wall  
If you're my Rapunzel  
You let your hair down  
Right in through your window  
Good, they locked the door  
'Cause I do my best for you"_

It was raining again by the time we pulled up to the house. _I wonder if I'll ever see the sun again at this rate_, I thought to myself.

Raven was waiting by the door when we entered, sitting patiently. He pawed at my leg, asking for attention. I picked him up, then entered the kitchen, looking for that newspaper. Time for car hunting.

I set Raven on the table and sat down, flipping to the classified ads and armed with a red pen. I circled a few promising entries, Raven laying on his stomach with his paws tucked underneath, watching me intently. I looked at him and he did the same.

"What do you think? Am I going to find a car today?" I asked the cat jokingly. He blinked and swished his tail back and forth, never breaking eye contact.

I wasn't expecting an answer, but it seemed this cat had given one. I played along, still half-joking, "You think so? Well, let's find out."

I grabbed the cordless phone off the wall and read the first ad I circled.

"1998 SUBARU FORESTER. GREAT MILEAGE! $1200"

I dialed the number listed and waited for some one to pick up. It was answered by a male voice.

_"Hello?"_

"Yes, I'm calling about the ad in the paper," I started.

_"Which one?"_

There was more than one? "Uh... the Subaru Forester."

_"Oh. Sorry, that was sold a few days ago. I didn't know the ad was still there."_

"No problem. Thanks anyway."

_"Yep."_ Click.

I looked at Raven, "No luck yet."

I read the next ad on the list:

"1994 TOYOTA CORONA. VERY STURDY. RUNS GREAT! $1000 ASK FOR TOMMY"

I dialed yet another number and waited for a pick up. A shrill sounding girl answered in an annoyed tone. Not Tommy.

_"Hello?"_

"Yes, may I please speak to Tommy?" I asked politely.

_"Who are you?"_

How rude. "Uh... I'm calling about the ad in the paper..."

_"About the Toyota?"_ she asked menacingly.

"Yeah..." I didn't like where this was going.

_"That car's a piece of shit. The interior's all ripped and it stalls way too much. Plus the stereo only plays an old, stuck Johnny Cash tape. I wouldn't even bother if I were you,"_

Someone sounded vengeful. "Ok... Thanks," I think.

_"No problem,"_ Click.

A few more ads went like this before I looked at Raven in discouragement. He hadn't moved and continued to look up at me expectantly. We had a little staring match before I finally said, "Fine, one more try." I read one of the few ads not yet crossed out:

"CHEVY PICK-UP. CLASSIC. RUNS WELL. ANY OFFER CONSIDERED."

In a car ad, "classic" usually translated to "ancient", so I don't even know why I bothered circling it, much less why I called the number to find out more information. This car didn't seem promising.

I waited once more for someone to pick up. After a couple rings, a soft, young female voice answered.

_"Hello?"_ she asked, slightly anxious-sounding.

"Yes, I'm calling about the ad in the paper." I said for what seemed like the millionth time today.

_"The car ad?"_

Duh. "Yeah, is it still on the market?"

_"Of course. Are you interested? It's pretty old and I don't know how much longer it has..."_

"Well, what's the year? You didn't mention."

A slight pause,_ "Er... 1953."_

I was right. Ancient. But I wasn't giving up. "Ok, is there any chance I can come take a look at it?"

She seemed to brighten up slightly at the idea, _"Of course. When would be a good time for you?"_

Oliver chose this time to enter the kitchen, his dark hair wet from the shower he just took. "Can you hold on a sec?" I asked into the phone.

_"Sure."_

I put my hand over the receiver. "Oliver, can you drive me out to see a car?"

He looked up, "Wow, you didn't waste any time, did you?"

I laughed slightly, "Nope. Can you?"

He nodded, "Sure."

I took my hand off and spoke once again into the phone, "Is now a good time? I don't know when I'll be able to get another ride."

_"Yeah, now's good. Let me give you my address..."_

I picked up the red pen and wrote her address on the corner of the paper as she recited it. "Great, I'll be there in a bit."

_"Ok. Sorry, I didn't get your name...?"_

"Oh. I'm Michelle Gray. And yours?"

_"Bella. Bella Swan."_

"Ok, Bella. I'll see you soon."

_"Yeah, you too."_ Click.

I hung up and looked down at Raven. He managed to look smug with an I-told-you-so expression. His eyes bored knowingly into mine. "Yeah, you win," I said to the little kitten. He hopped off the table, then sniffed around his water dish.

Oliver looked at me questioningly, "Win what?"

I sighed. "Don't ask."

_--------_

Fortunately, Oliver knew the street and Bella's house was easy to find. She looked up from her spot on the porch and waved as we pulled into the driveway. We got out of the car and greeted one another, making introductions again and shaking hands. The rain had temporarily stopped, making the conditions more bearable.

Bella seemed nice. She was of slight build, slightly shorter than me, with pale skin and dark hair and eyes. I decided she was pleasant-looking, if not like a million other girls on the planet. But something about her was strange; like there was something beneath the surface of her light and average exterior that she would never reveal. And, like the story in the paper, I got a very strange sense of déjà vu. Like we'd met before. Through the tour of the ancient pick-up, I couldn't shake the strange feeling.

"So what do you think?" Bella asked as Oliver made some general inspections of the car I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Just as I was about to suggest a test drive, Bella let out a slight sigh of relief, looking past my shoulder. I followed her gaze behind me and saw a shiny pewter Volvo pulling into her driveway. "Excuse me a minute, will you?" she said, running to greet whoever just pulled up about ten yards away. I saw a tall figure exit the drivers side and watched as Bella ran to embrace him. They kissed lightly and, after a few soft-spoken words, joined Oliver and I, holding hands.

I looked at the man who now joined our party, and was stunned at the sheer beauty of this person. He was very pale, paler even than Bella, with a perfectly sculpted face complemented by copper colored hair. He was taller than Bella and beautifully built. I was stunned silent.

Oliver finally broke the silence after finishing a tire inspection and looking up. He recognized this beautiful individual. "Edward Cullen? Good to see you again," I didn't realize Edward was looking into my eyes, as if through me, until he broke the gaze.

"Yes, Oliver, was it? Nice to see you," his voice was deep, but clear. He and Oliver shook hands. Edward shifted his attention to me again, "And you are...?" He didn't sound rude, merely curious.

When I found my voice again, it cracked slightly, "Um... Michelle. Gray. I'm here about Bella's car..."

He chuckled deep in his throat, amused. "Yes, the infamous old roadster. I've finally convinced her to sell it. It would never make the trip to Alaska."

"Alaska?"

"Yes, we're both going to the University of Alaska Southeast next semester," Bella chimed in.

Oh. I was slightly disappointed. "Ok, well, how much?"

Edward looked at me quizzically, "For what?"

"The car, of course. I like it. It has personality," I addressed Bella again, "How much?"

Bella seemed at a loss for words, as if this was unexpected, "Uh... how about $500?"

"Sounds great. What do you think, Oliver?"

Oliver looked up, "Sounds fair, but I don't know what you see in this car..."

"Peachy," I addressed Bella again, "Will you take a check?"

She said she would, and I filled one out, along with a copy of my driver's license registration, insurance info, etc.. We shook hands as she warned me, "Not over fifty-five, okay?"

"I'll remember," I turned to Edward, his beautiful eyes on mine. "Nice to meet you, Edward," I said, holding out my hand. He grasped it cautiously. His hand was as hard and cold as ice, but I, once again, had the very distinct feeling of déjà vu, like I'd shaken this hand before.

Bella handed me the keys to my new car, "Take care, Michelle."

"You too, Bella. Thanks again." I climbed into the truck as Oliver went to his. In the rear-view mirror, I saw Edward and Bella get in the Volvo together. They struck me as a good, however opposite, couple.

As the engine roared to life, I first noticed the gaping hole where the radio should be. It was covered in scratches, as though it had been forced out roughly. How strange.

* * *

**A/N: So, there's the third chapter. I like this one. For those who were squirming in their seats waiting for our favorite couple to appear, there you have it. And let me just state, for those who missed it, I am not going to break up Bella and Edward through means of an Original Character. TRUST ME ON THIS! This was also the longest chapter yet, about 2,700 words. I was going to add more, but I'm about to pass out on my keyboard from exhaustion. Look on the bright side: I have more for the next chapter.**

**This chapter's song was "Rapunzel" by Dave Matthew's Band. Great song. CD currently on repeat.**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**Trippix**


	5. IV: Hit and run

**Author's Note: Hello again, dear readers! I trust you've had a pleasant week. I've gotten some positive feedback, thanks to everyone. I hope to get over 20 reviews with this chapter (yeah, I know. I need a life).**

**I have a new story up, if anyone is interested. It's in the Edgar Allen Poe section, but you don't have to be too familiar with his works to understand the story basis. I also have a FictionPress story up, under the same penname. It's a song fiction. Pretty heavy stuff.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this installment. Happy Reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to affiliate myself with the Twilight book series. All related material is copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I also claim no rights of ownership to any songs mentioned in the following narrative.**

* * *

--Chapter IV--

The town of Forks sped by in complete silence for a minute before Bella finally decided to break Edward's pensive reverie. "Something's bothering you, isn't it?" she said worriedly.

Edward's answer was too quick. "What gave you that idea?"

She chuckled darkly, "Edward, I've agreed to spend eternity with you. I know when something's on your mind. Spill."

Edward drove on for another silent minute before sighing and answering, "It's about that Michelle girl. There's something not quite right about her..." he trailed off, unsure of how to explain.

In a trip that should have taken fifteen minutes, Edward had cleared the distance between his and Bella's houses in under five. He cut the engine after parking in the Cullen's immense garage, but stayed in his seat, still thinking it seemed.

"So... what is it about her?" Bella urged.

Edward jumped slightly, as if forgetting she was there. "I'm not entirely sure. Two main things really. For one she smells like you-"

"She does?" Bella interrupted, incredulous.

Edward nodded and continued, "But not quite so strong. She has a similar distinct odor, but not as alluring as yours," at this, he smiled affectionately.

"Hmm, that's... kinda weird," she offered.

"'Kinda weird' indeed..."

"So what's the other thing?" Bella asked, her curiosity peaked.

Edward narrowed his brows, still in contemplation as he answered, "I'm not sure what it could mean. I'd have to ask Carlisle. But when I read her mind, I saw her... memories."

He had no other way to describe it. Michelle's mind was so vast, it would have taken ages to sort through all of her consciousness. Edward couldn't remember such an intense experience with another mind.

Bella blinked in confusion. "You lost me. I thought you could only see what people are thinking when they think them?"

"I can. She _was. _But she didn't seem aware she was thinking them. Like they were happening in two different areas of thought. It's what I see if I read the thoughts of a person who happens to be experiencing déjà vu at that moment. It's overwhelming for me."

"So, Michelle was having a déjà vu experience?"

Edward sighed. "That's the only thing I can come up with. But it occurred the entire time I was there, continually. Other times it's just been for an instant. Also there was the subject matter of these memories..."

Another silent minute. "Yes?" Bella pressed.

He looked Bella in the eyes for the first time since departing her house, confusion etched on his features as he spoke. "She knew me. It was very strange. I know I've never met her before, but I felt totally..." he struggled to find the right word, "...exposed when I was around her. I got the feeling she knew who I was, even though she didn't know herself." He paused, letting Bella take it in. "I'm confusing you, aren't I?"

"Yes, but I sort of get the gist of what your saying. Maybe once you've talked to Carlisle, it will be clearer."

"Yes, perhaps..." he didn't seem so sure.

Just then, Alice decided to tap on Edward's window. The couple emerged from the car, Edward looking tense. "What is it?" he asked, an unreadable expression gracing his face. Alice spoke aloud mostly for Bella's benefit.

"I had a vision about the girl who bought Bella's car. Things have already been set in motion... But why can't I see it happening...?" Alice trailed off, clearly shaken by the experience. She sat on the garage step, clutching her temples. Edward began pacing, thinking.

"Alice," Bella started, "what's happening to Michelle?" Bella didn't know this foreign girl who seemed to be affecting the family, but certainly didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Michelle seemed like a nice person.

"I don't get it. People die everyday and I don't see they're deaths. What's so significant about hers?" Alice spoke mostly to herself.

Bella interrupted, "Wait, we're talking about _death _here?"

Alice and Edward snapped their heads up, as if just acknoledgeing her presence. They exchanged glances, then Edward spoke. "Bella, maybe you should go find Esme. She bought groceries just so she could make you dinner. Maybe you should help?"

Bella took the hint, disliking it though she did. She knew argument was futile. "Fine. See you inside." She then turned on her heal and marched toward the house, ready to test another one of Esme's unnaturally delicious recipes. Too bad it was only four o'clock.

--------

The sun had finally managed to break through the clouds on the drive home. I mentioned it to Oliver as we stepped out of our separate cars and he told me not to get used to it; I was extremely lucky to get sun on my first day.

I had no idea how long this natural phenomenon would last, so I decided to take advantage of the sun. I ran up to my room and began clawing my way through one of my larger unpacked duffel bags. I eventually wrestled out my running pack and a pair of cut-off sweatpants. I changed into that and a the first t-shirt I spotted.

My running pack was one that Mom had insisted I wear whenever I jogged back home. It was a light-weight backpack that contained some heavy gauze, alcohol pads, and other first-aid essentials. No band-aids, though. They never work on hemophiliacs.

Grabbing the pack and my ipod, I made my way downstairs to tell Oliver that I was going for a run. He tossed me his cell phone and told me to be careful. That was the point where it finally sunk in that I was there to stay, and there was no place else I'd have rather been. I went up to Oliver and gave him a big hug. He seemed a bit taken aback, but returned my affection all the same.

"Thanks for being my brother."

He smiled cheekily, "You're welcome."

We pulled apart and I gave him a smile, "I'll be back for dinner. I doubt I'll get lost."

"Okay. Have fun."

"I will."

I didn't know at the time, but those two miniscule words would be the last I'd tell him for a long time.

--------

There comes a moment in everyone's life that is pivotal as to where there life will go in the future. To some people, it happens only once. To others, perhaps multiple times. As my running shoes connected rhythmically with the pavement, I didn't know that one such moment was about to occur with me.

_"...From the North to the South,  
Ebudc into Khartoum,  
From the deep sea of Clouds  
To the island of the moon,  
Carry me on the waves  
To the lands I've never been,  
Carry me on the waves  
To the lands I've never seen..."_

The soothing melodies of Enya drifted through my brain, via ipod headphones. I always considered this great running music; I still do. But because my ears were only giving my music priority, I wasn't aware of any other sound around me. And I most definitely wasn't aware of the Volkswagen Rabbit turning the narrow curve behind me.

So I didn't hear the tires squeal.

_"...We can sigh, say goodbye...  
We can sail, we can sail... sail away, sail away, sail away..."_

And after impact, I didn't hear the guard rail being bent. I was lying about 5 yards away, already blacked out. But Enya's soothing melody still resounded in my ears, as if trying to call me back from the darkness I'd just entered.

--------

When I was finally able to grasp something outside of my unconscious state, I assumed it had something to do with my injuries.

"Massive internal bleeding..."

"...Hit-and-run. I wonder if she knows who hit her?..."

"...She has a rare blood type. How can we provide that kind of transfusion?..."

"...What do you think, Dr. Cullen?"

Even in my drowsy state, I noticed the difference between these voices and the next one that spoke. It was smooth, male, but I'd compare the tone to that of satin.

"Has the brother been informed?" Dr. Cullen said.

"He's on his way, Doctor."

"Good. Bring him up to speed when he gets here. Call the University of Seattle Hospital and see if they have her blood type on stock. I'm clocking out, but page me if she wakes up."

"Sure thing, Doctor. Get some sleep, you look like you could use it. We'll call if there's any change."

"Thanks. I'll be back later."

I was drifting back to darkness, now, but I welcomed it with open arms.

--------

Carlisle looked forlornly at his and his family's house from the porch steps as he went over what he was going to tell his family. He thought it best to just get the confrontation over with. Who knew how long that dying girl at the Hospital had left? The best choice of action, he decided, would to probably talk to Alice first. He focused his mind on something else so Edward couldn't see his intentions and plowed into the house.

Edward was already there, trying unsuccessfully to read Carlisle's thoughts. He said something about needing to talk to Alice, putting all his might into not letting his thoughts stray. She appeared a moment later and she nodded toward the door. They took off into the bordering forest, far away from prying vampire ears.

After they're hasty departure, Esme and a tired Bella confronted Edward. "What was going on with Carlilse?" Esme asked, concern evident on her beautiful face.

"The Gettysburg Address. In Welsh. Must be something important..."

Esme and Bella exchanged looks, knowing that something was disturbing the Cullen's peace.

Meanwhile, back in the forest, Alice and Carlisle finally came to a stop in a clearing somewhere near the Canadian border. Sure they weren't being followed, they spoke about the issue at hand.

"I've seen you change her Carlisle. But I only told them she dies, so it wasn't a total lie," Alice started.

Carlisle nodded in approval, "Good. What do I say?"

"You just look up and say, 'Alice, don't tell the others'. But I don't see anything past her being bitten. What's your plan?"

"She has to die."

"Well, yeah. Obviously. What's your plan, though?"

Carlisle had thought about this a upon first coming up with the option of changing Michelle. "That is my plan. After I change her, I have to come up with an excuse to make sure no one is able to visit her. I'll be the only doctor with access. I'll have time to let her feed, then bring her back so she can die..."

Alice's eyes went hazy as she was taken over by a vision of the future. Michelle's future, no doubt. After snapping out of it, she spoke, "What about the wolves?"

"I'll carry her somewhere else. If they ask, I'll say she was a stray newborn we picked up."

Alice was silent for a moment before finally answering, "This is going to kill Oliver. She's barely in Forks for two days before finally being mortally wounded and dying."

"She'd die either way," Carlisle said.

"But why her? There was a significant reason for changing all of us, and there's a significant reason Edward is changing Bella. What is it about Michelle?"

Carlisle hesitated before answering. "She has power. There is something special and different about her. Somehow I know that if I asked her, she'd choose this path. That's more than I can say for any human who may know what they were getting themselves in to."

Alice nodded, accepting this answer. "The others are going to want to see her for themselves," she stated.

"I shouldn't have a problem getting Bella in. The others won't have a problem sneaking in."

"Yeah. Well, should we go tell them the news?"

"Better sooner than later."

And with that, they sped off into the woods, becoming two luminescent blurs among a forest of darkness.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, there's chapter four. It's the shortest chapter yet, only around 2,000 words, but probably the most... pivotal, to use Michelle's word. For those who have stuck it out to this chapter, you'll be greatly rewarded with the next. There's way more vampire action, it's a lot darker, and the song is by Disturbed. Whoopdi-fucking-doo. Stay tuned.**

**If you didn't already guess, this chapter's song is "Orinoco Flow" by Enya. If you're not familiar with it, you'd probably recognize it once you heard it. As always, the MP3 is available upon request.**

**By the way, did anyone else notice that the font for document preview has changed from Times to Verdana? Hallelujah!**

**Take Luck.**

**Trippix**


	6. V: Down With the Sickness, Part One

**Author's Note:Salutations, readers. Let me start this author's note (which hardly anyone will read) by saying I am so, so, so, sorry for not updating sooner. If you happened upon my profile, you'd see the note I left saying that I have not abandoned this story! It is still in the works!! Despite my reliability issues, I've reached over 1,000 hits (which is impressive to me if not to you more talented FF authors.), so some more reviews would be nice. I'm also sorry if you feel the need to re-read everything up until this point because of my procrastination issues.**

**Anyway, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for: Michelle becomes one of the undead. Let's throw a party. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to affiliate myself with the Twilight book series. All related material is copyright of Stephenie Meyer. I also claim no rights of ownership to any songs mentioned in the following narrative.**

* * *

--Chapter V--

Jacob Black couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he dreamt of the nameless girl he'd hit with his car.

She was knocked unconscious on impact, but he knew he'd be questioned by the police if he was found out. No evidence of his presence was left. The girl had simply been another victim of a hit-and-run. But he couldn't get her lifeless form out of his head, her blond curls fanned out like a halo on the pavement, a thin line of blood drawn from the corner of her mouth.

Jacob had panicked and he regretted it. He didn't even know if the girl was alive or dead.

Trying to sleep was completely useless at this point, he decided. Stripping off his sweatpants and tip-toeing so as not to wake Billy, Jacob exited the small house and ran into the forest, transforming into his canine form when he reached the outskirt. Sam's voice immediately entered his subconscious.

_Where have you been?_ he asked.

Images of the days events flowed through Jacob's mind against his will for Sam, and probably all of the pack, to see. He could feel Sam's disapproval.

_I don't know what to do, Sam. I feel so guilty. What if I'm found out?_

The next voice was that of Embry's. _Jake, we all make mistakes. It's over and done with. There wasn't anyone around, so I doubt anyone knows it was you. Just another hit-and-run._

Quil spoke next,_That's cold, Embry. _

_I'm just trying to bring some logic into the situation, all emotion aside. Jake, you have every right to feel guilty. What happened after you... left her?_

Jake did leave her, but ran back after parking his car a mile or two away. The ambulance had arrived by then, and she was being taken away in a stretcher. He relayed the memory to his comrades.

Embry spoke again, _See, not so bad. She's probably still alive._

_Yeah, because that makes me feel so much better about hitting her, _Jake thought.

Sam spoke up again,_ Listen, we'll talk about this later. Jake, we're in Vancouver if you wanna join us. Or maybe if you want some time alone..._

Jake cleared his thoughts the best he could and changed his route from East to North toward the Canadian border to join his friends. _Nah, I'll be there in a bit._

_--_

When Alice and Carlisle reached the Cullen household, Edward was already waiting on the porch, eyes narrowed in subtle defiance. Alice became an onlooker as the two stood eye to eye, exchanging a completely silent conversation. After a couple minutes, Edward's face straitened into an unreadable mask.

Carlisle spoke first, "What do you think?"

Edward waited a minute, then spoke in a low voice. "I definitely noticed something different about her when we met... her mind isn't that of a normal human..."

"But do you disagree with my decision?" Carlisle asked apprehensively.

Edward looked him in the eye with a fierce, but not unkind, glare. "I support any decision you make, Carlisle. Just like when you changed all the others after me."

Carlisle smiled, then placed a loving hand on Edward's shoulder. "Thank you."

Edward nodded, "The others are waiting for both of you. Bella is refusing to sleep," the last sentence sounded concerned, if not slightly amused.

"Well, we better tell them all. Bella's just as much apart of the family as any of us."

The remainder of the Cullen clan plus the future addition were waiting in the living area of the downstairs level. Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett took up the couch while Bella and Esme sat on throw pillows adorning a corner. Dark rings circled under Bella's eyes. She looked about to pass out. All five of them stood up straighter as the other three vampires entered the room. Carlisle spoke first.

"I call a family meeting."

Rosalie chuckled humorlessly, "We figured. What's this about?"

Carlisle took a deep sigh, "I've decided to make a new addition to the family. There's a terminal patient at the hospital, and I've chosen to make her one of us."

Bella spoke up from the corner, "Michelle?"

Carlisle nodded, "She was the one that bought your car, yes?"

"Yeah... and Alice said she had a vision of her death..."

"Well... technically, she does die. I called this meeting to get all of your opinions. So, what are your thoughts?" Carlisle seemed just as apprehensive asking the rest of his kin as he had asking Edward.

There was a moment of stilled silence before Rosalie decided to break it, "You know what I think, Carlisle. I have the same opinion of this girl as I do Bella. I can't stop you and I won't complain after her transformation, but I still give my futile advice against this."

Jasper spoke next, something he often avoided around Bella, "Carlisle, I trust you fully and support you in any decision you make," he said, echoing Edward's words. "You know this. If you think it's the right thing to give us another sister, so do I."

Emmett threw in his comment, "I second that."

Esme stood and crossed the room to Carlisle's side, taking his hand. "I third it, love," she said, smiling her dazzling smile.

Calisle then turned to the last one to speak. "What about you, Bella? What do you think about all this?"

Bella chose her words carefully before speaking. "I'm not sure what to think," she began, "I do trust you Carlisle, and I know your motivations are good, but I can't help but think this will somehow affect my transformation..." at admitting this, she sought each vampires gaze for a hint of reaction. Seeing none, Bella continued, "Don't you think adding two newborns at the same time would be... kind of bad?" she finished lamely.

The vampires exchanged glances before Edward left the side of his family and sat next to Bella. "I have a promise to keep, Bella," he said, holding her in his molten gaze, "This may change the circumstances slightly, but you will get your wish." He finished by kissing her tenderly on the cheek.

Carlisle smiled broadly and addressed the family, "Well, this is great. Alice has told me that you all want to meet her?"

The septet all gave their affirmative in unison. Despite her lethargic state, Bella rose to her feet to begin the journey. "What exactly is wrong with Michelle?" she asked for the sake of curiosity.

"She was hit by a car. Normally, the injuries wouldn't be that bad, but she's a hemophiliac, so any injury is a bad one. Bad internal bleeding and a rare blood type to boot."

This seemed to catch Bella's attention, "What's her blood type?" she asked.

"B-negative. Why?"

Bella blinked with comprehension. "That's sort of ironic, I guess..."

Edward turned to her, "Why?"

"I have the same blood type. It's one of, if not the, rarest blood type in the country. I've known since I got a bad case of measles in fourth grade," she smiled knowingly as Edward, "It's handy knowledge if you want to get out of Biology class."

Edward looked pensive, "That probably explains the similar smell..."

"Makes sense."

With this bit of enlightening information, the Cullen's split up into their respective cars and headed toward the hospital. Toward a terminally ill patient that sparked the sympathy of a vampire. Toward their future sister.

--

I didn't know how long I'd been in darkness. Hours. Days. Years. They all seemed to be the same length. I wasn't even aware I still possessed thought until the sound of music entered my being.

Not just any music, though. A guitar.

I opened my eyes to find I wasn't alone. Surrounding me was a vast desert as far as the eye could see. I looked down to find myself robed completely in a white linen suit. The desert was completely dry, but uncharacteristically comfortable. A light breeze ruffled my hair, bringing with it again the sound of guitar.

I turned around, but knew who was sitting there, cross-legged, before I moved. My father looked up at me from the ground, smiling, his sage-green eyes filled with love. I hesitated before approaching.

"Is this a dream?" I asked him, hoping it wasn't.

He smiled wider, the crows feet fanning out around his eyes, "Yes and no. This is on the borderline of life and death...," he paused and set the guitar down gently beside him, "Why don't you sit with me, Michelle?"

I walked the few paces over to him and sat on the soft, sandy earth. "So... am I dead?"

Raven seemed to weigh the question in his mind before answering, "No, not yet. But there isn't much time before you will be."

"Am I going to die? I miss you so much. I want to be with you..."

He smiled again, looking almost sorry. "I don't think that's going to happen for a long time, love. Your life isn't over."

I didn't like this answer very much. Now that I was reunited with my father, I wasn't too keen on letting him go. "But what if I'm ready to die? I feel like my life isn't complete without you, dad."

Raven opened his arms and I gladly embraced him. "Your life isn't over," he repeated, "In fact, it's just starting. You have to fight this, Michelle. You have to live this in order to live again."

His words didn't make sense right then, but they would later. At that moment, I was happy just to be in his arms. It was short-lived, though. He was soon pulling me away. I gave a feeble protest, but to no avail. I knew he was about to leave.

"I love you so much, my daughter. Even in death. Just remember that I'll be with you when all that's light in this world seems to disappear. Have hope, my darling. This will be painful."

His last sentence made as much sense as his first statement, but I wasn't in any state to realize just what he meant. He stood up just as a full moon began to rise over a sand dune. His form was slowly disappearing as I called for him to come back. Then, both Raven and the desert disappeared, leaving me once again in darkness.

But I would not stay there for long. I could feel it; something was about to happen.

_Can you feel that?  
Oh shit..._

_--_

The Cullen family looked solemn as they viewed Michelle's lifeless form. Her breathing was shallow, here skin as pale and cold as ice. If her eyes had been open, their becoming shade of blue would have matched the hue of her lips. She made no move to acknowledge their presence. If her chest hadn't been rising and falling or if the Cullen's ears couldn't hear the sluggish beating of her heart, they would have guessed her to be dead.

Carlisle sighed heavily, then crossed the room to the chart above her bed. Picking it up and scribbling something onto one of the many finely-printed pages, he looked to Alice.

"I need you to give this to the Orderly on duty," he said, handing the chart to Alice. "Work some of your charm on him. I've written a prescribed note to sterilize her then transfer her to a clean room. I've written it down, but explain that I need full privacy. It should buy me some time..."

For those who knew Carlisle (which compromised mostly of his own family), they would all say that he was not one to become easily nervous. As he ran a stressed comb of fingers through his hair, all who knew him would agree this procedure was taking a toll on Carlisle Cullen's usually collected exterior.

"Give me a minute to unplug and rig the heart monitors, then make sure no one comes down the hall," he said. "I'm taking her to Neah Bay, out of the Wolves' territory. I should be an hour or two... the clean room should be ready by then..." Carlisle spoke the last part more to himself than to the others. But they knew it was time.

The clan looked to Carlisle, who nodded at them in silent mutual understanding. They filed out one by one, Alice off to seduce the Orderly and Edward giving him a final glace before exiting the room.

--

When consciousness finally came, I was stunned by how much pain I was in; agony racked my entire body. My breathing was slow and sounded like that of a death rattle. I coughed. Bad mistake. Tiny droplets of blood sprayed onto the hospital gown I wore. It was then that I realized I was not in any hospital. I was, in fact, outside and exposed to the elements. When I fully came to, it finally hit me that I was being carried. Not just carried, though. I was _flying_.

I followed my carrier's arms up to a shoulder, neck, then finally a face. His skin was ashen, eerily reflecting a dull glow from the moon overhead. His amber eyes bored into mine, and it was then I grasped how unbelievably beautiful he was. I wanted to scream, but the action was caught in my throat as he finally spoke.

"Michelle, you must trust me. Hold on to life a little bit longer. And, you must later learn to forgive me."

It seemed like nothing was making sense anymore. I felt like I was falling down the rabbit hole in a downward spiral and the only thing left worth living for was clinging to life in the arms of this golden-eyed angel.

_Drowning deep in my sea of loathing  
Broken, your servant, I kneel  
(Will you give in to me?)_

We eventually stopped. I felt a cool mist against my face and it hit me that it had once again begun raining. The mystery angel gently set me down on what felt like a bed of moss. I opened my eyes again to see his face. All at once, my stomach lurched and I turned to vomit onto the lush green. The moss immediately soaked up the litre of blood my body had expelled.

When I chanced a look again at my savior, he was gazing at me with a mixture of torment and pity in his eyes. I tried to lift myself into a sitting position, but failed. When I spoke, my voice cracked with effort.

"Please... tell me what's happening-"

"Don't move. You'll further injure yourself."

He began pacing. I considered trying to speak again, but thought better of it. It suddenly occurred to me that I must have been dying. My eyes stung with the threat of tears but, surprisingly, none escaped. _I'm dreaming_, I thought. _Yes, that's it. this is all a dream. In a moment, I'll wake up in my new bedroom at Forks with a kitten tangled in my hair. That's it, Michelle, wake up now. _

I closed my eyes and opened them again, but my situation was the same. The cold rain baptized me, soaking through the thin hospital gown and raising goose flesh over my entire body.

The beautiful angel stopped all at once, appearing to make a decision. He crouched down and brought my limp arm to his ice cold lips, speaking only two words: "Brace yourself."

* * *

**Author's Note: Ok, this part in the story is pivotal, so I've decided to split it up into two parts. I have an outline for the second part already so, hopefully, there won't be such a gap between this chapter and the next. Thanks for reading!**

**Trippix**


End file.
